Falling
by Goldilocks05
Summary: She was shadow and he was spotlight. She was leader and he the sidekick. The mask is there to protect us. But the mask let them hurt, let them hide and let them fall. And they just might not get up


Falling

 _ **This is for my friend Chloe. Enjoy my friend. I don't own anything.**_

You know the feeling when you're about to fall and your hearts in your throat? The feeling like your about to throw butterflies up, or be carried away with them? She felt them and so did he. She, was hidden in the background except when in spots and he the model boy, who would do anything for his father to love him again, but he still ran around with cat ears.

She was the shy designer who hid in the background. She didn't complain and people didn't throw expectations at her like they meant something. She could be who she wanted, even if that person wasn't exactly who she wanted to be, it was the only person she could then she had the chance to change. She'd put on the ladybug earrings on willingly. That much she'd admit but she didn't know the second people saw her that she'd become the poster model for goodness. From that second on she knew, one screw up and he'd won. And even the shyest parts of her knew, losing wasn't an option. Even if it meant dealing with peoples crazy high expectations. Even on the days she wished she could just go back to being the awkward designer, with the crush on the star.

He was always a poster boy. He was the polite son, of a very well known fashion designer. Expectations were always high. _Don't smile too bright. Don't forget to smile. Stop acting so childishly. Don't forget, everyone's watching._ How could he forget? He was reminded everyday of his life. No matter where he went, he was always known. Well at least whenever he could sneak out of the house. He was a prisoner. Locked away in the highest tower, with a gorilla and a secretary as the dragon in this fairy tale. Except no-one was going to save him, no-one but himself. So when he was given the black cat ring and a chance at freedom, he didn't even let his kwami finish. In leather and cat ears, he wasn't in the spotlight for once. For he was the humorous sidekick in their eyes, his partner in spots the real hero. _We're a team_ she'd told them a hundred times but he didn't mind if she got all the credit, Paris loved her. But he loved her more.

He'd taken a hit for her a hundred times and he'd do it a hundred times again. She'd yell at him away from the public and he'd apologize with a lazy grin and cheesy pun. But every blow, every strike, every time he fell, the ladybug fell deeper into a hole she wasn't sure she'd climb out of. Every smile of adoration, every 'M'Lady', every stupid nickname, was for a hero. How would he react knowing his partner was just a nobody? _Nobody must know our true identity,_ She'd once told him. It's for the best she thought over and over, like that was an excuse, but really it was her fear talking. Fear of the known and fear of rejection, because no matter how many times she'd told herself she'd never love him, the cat ear wearing boy was slowly taking a lace in her heart.

Everything's fine. That's what he always said. To himself, his partner, his friends and to father. But every time he said it, he too was falling deeper. _It's all lies. It's all fake,_ he desperately wanted to scream to anyone who'd listen, but would they listen? How do you tell your best friend your not okay? How do you explain to the pushy reporter girl that you'd never wanted any of this? How do you even tell the sweet girl who can't talk to you, that your falling for her too? How would your partner react to you being in love with her and another girl? That's why he stayed silent and went along with it. Because he didn't know how to tell anyone, he had fallen and he didn't think he'd make it up.

After all it's easy to fall but to get out of that hole takes a person truly, miraculous.

* * *

You know when adrenaline is rushing through your veins and it hurts? You know when, that feeling is welcome because it distracts you from the tears rushing to your eyes? When your vision blurs and you can only focus on the person in front of you. It felt much better than falling.

When the finally revealed what lay behind the mask, it didn't hurt. It wasn't a spectacular moment, it wasn't a near death revelation, it was the four personas getting tired of falling alone. So when green surrounded him and pink claimed her and the masks fell, it felt good. Because every moment of loathing and pain was for nothing. Every moment of questioning who to love was wasted. In the end he'd pulled her into a lung crushing hug and she'd wrapped her arms around his neck. Finally they had someone to stop them falling.

No-one said a thing the next day at school when the model kissed her at her desk. No-one questioned when she became more confident and he started making jokes. In the end they were perfect together and no-one could say otherwise.

The Designer and the Model.

The Cat and the Ladybug.

Marinette and Adrien


End file.
